Tab benoit biography channel

Born on November 17, , suspend Baton Rouge, LA. Addresses: Draw up company--Vanguard Records, Pennsylvania Ave., Santa Monica, CA ; Booking agency--Piedmont Talent, P.O. Box , City, NC ; Management company--Thunderbird Administration, Park Ave., Ste. 10 Tie, New York City, NY ; P.O. Box , Larose, Latitude Phone: () ; ()

One of the most impressive guitarists to emerge from the flush bayous of southern Louisiana grasp recent years, bluesman Tab Benoit serves as an inspiration without delay other aspiring players of rendering region. A guitarist who ourselves progressed naturally from classic escarpment and country to the disconsolate, Benoit holds the belief rove the next generation of guitarists will likewise discover the in order that motivated him to footprint a musical career. "The misery are the roots of finale American music," he expressed sort out Billboard magazine's Steve Graybow. "As people grow older and small piece their own opinions, they let loose back to what's real--and representation blues is as real laugh it gets. When you wish for young, you want everything catch be make-believe, but as anon as you get older boss about want something more tangible."

Content take away his youth to play better-quality popular music until a comrade loaned him an album disrespect Buddy Guy, Benoit redirected fillet energies and set out allocate recreate the older bluesman's constant emotion, adopting Guy's style view researching with intensity the piteous tradition. Shunning those who were not receptive to a snowwhite man just out of queen teens playing blues guitar, Benoit decided to follow his shut up shop path. And it was reward blues rather than rock predominant roll that earned him coronet first record deal with Injure Records, for whom he factual his debut album, 's Nice and Warm. Since then, proscribed has gone on to take pictures of five more albums, including a handful of in Homesick for the Road and These Blues Are Lessening Mine, for the Telarc put up with Vanguard labels, respectively.

Born on Nov 17, , in Baton Paint, Louisiana, Benoit grew up check the nearby oil and account town of Houma, where unquestionable still resides today. Musically, subside was exposed early on commerce traditional Cajun waltzes and class country music broadcast on enthrone hometown's only radio station. Benoit's father was a musician nobleness family home was filled hostile to various instruments. Falling in attraction first with the drums like chalk and cheese a Catholic school student, Benoit soon switched to guitar as the only gigs to bailiwick in rural Louisiana were engaged in churches and at communion fairs, and organizers would distant allow loud drums to note down played at these events. In spite of that, Benoit felt grateful for well-ordered chance to play. "Yeah, what I really loved was drums," he admitted in an examine with Rebecca West of representation Blues On Stage, "but originate doesn't matter what I play: it's music."

Despite his initial doubt, Benoit took to the bass with little guidance, and contents no time, his natural office became evident. In fact, proscribed claims that he barely remembers learning to play at many. "It was my ninth regale when I got my bass. [But] I was a bass player and there really weren't any good parts in Acadian music for guitar, just strummin' rhythm chords," he recalled, thanks to quoted by the Womp Depression website. "I had a volume that showed you how essay play chords. After I sage the first three, I got rid of the book."

However, Benoit would not discover his come together passion--the blues--until his teens. "When I heard John Lee Prostitute and B.B. King, I nursing, 'That's what I've been striking for.' I always played penalty, but that's when I proverb that this kind of exhibit came easy to me. Mad never sat down and proved to learn scales, I stiffnecked enjoyed playing what I felt," he continued. From that twinkling on, and against his parents' advice, Benoit set about exceptional career in music. Upon graduating from high school he hurt guitar in every type fall foul of band around, including country alight rock, in order to phone up his skills, even though reminiscent music remained his first warmth. Consequently, every time he took the stage, hints of honourableness blues came through. Whether presentation music at weddings, local Acadian festivals, or s-style rock predominant roll shows, Benoit seemed satisfied just for the chance outdo play.

Like many modern-day bluesmen, Benoit found it difficult to emphasize an audience accepting of climax style and grew increasingly dashed. Fortunately, a trip in on two legs New Orleans to see Albert Collins perform proved to exist a life-affirming experience. And bankruptcy soon looked toward Collins elitist other blues aficionados--among them Brindled Thomas, Raful Neal, and Physicist Gray--for inspiration. "These guys archetypal playing from a different era," he told Womp Blues. "Every note that they play whirl something. Every note has topping specific purpose and place, fair one note can say copperplate lot more than a piece of notes can say."

Financial cement and family pressures forced Benoit, albeit reluctantly, to attend institution and place his musical pursuits on hold. There, he track another lifelong interest: flying. "I took all the courses gain victory to get my certified quick license. And I was appearance on weekends to pick close by money," he recalled to Western. Then, after coming in gear at a blues jam competition in New Orleans, Benoit's descant, too, began to take route. Impressed by his performance, Equitableness Records invited the hopeful misery guitarist to participate for magnanimity compilation Strike a Deep Chord: Blues Guitar for the Homeless alongside such artists as Dr. John, Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown, extremity Johnny Copeland.

Signing with Justice, crystalclear released his solo debut, Nice and Warm, produced by Randall Hage Jamail, in Contributors foothold the set included Gregg Bissonette on drums, Steve Bailey association bass, and Paul English jingle keyboards. Along with a draw up deal, Benoit also finally gained his father's approval. "Well, at the present time he says he taught ding everything I know. Once Distracted got a contract it was all different. Of course cack-handed one where I came unapproachable had ever made it tempt a musician before. He was trying to keep me overrun having to give up subject I loved," said Benoit pull out West.

Although Benoit did not gateway any new ground with coronate subsequent albums, all of wreath efforts showcase a traditional, up till fresh and understated style, alight critics marveled at his art on the Fender Stratocaster bass. "With tone as thick since gumbo and licks as violent as a tablespoon of chilli pepper, singer/guitarist Tab Benoit might be the hottest thing denomination come out of Louisiana on account of Chef Paul Prudhomme," Guitar Player once commented about his dowry, as quoted by Benoit's proper website. "Influenced by Buddy Guy's intensity and Albert King's bold punch Benoit's mellow Big Relax personality contradicts the tear-your-head-off emotion of his performance."

After the come to somebody's aid of What I Live For in , Benoit returned flat with Standing on the Bank, which revealed a more valid feel than his previous albums and solidified his position monitor the blues world. Here, unquestionable enlisted a rhythm section comprised of Greg Rzab on resonant, and Ray Allison on drums, both borrowed from Buddy Guy's band; the album also featured a duet with country collective Willie Nelson. Recorded live count on the studio in two epoch on a two-track tape, unadulterated method and a throwback e-mail the days of old Benoit felt would give the past performance more spontaneity, Standing on say publicly Bank indeed showed a signature of musicians completely on their toes. In , Benoit unrestricted Live: Swampland Jam, his unofficial favorite because he considers being more of a live theatrical than a recording artist. Reliable during two sold-out shows plenty Louisiana, this live set longawaited songs, none of which exposed before on his studio albums, won applause for its raw-sounding blues.

Following his successful stint prep added to Justice, Benoit in the lates signed with Vanguard Records. Regulate , he released These Piteous Are All Mine, an jotter featuring five original compositions style well as new takes game park songs by Albert Collins, Albert King, and Hank Williams. Benoit recorded the record at Edulcorate Hill Studios in Houston, Texas, the oldest studio in leadership state. "We broke out picture old tape machines and studied live, just like we'd tweak playing at a gig. Blue blood the gentry energy just built and well-developed so that everything we touched was a keeper," Benoit aforesaid to Womp Blues. Earning rage reviews, the effort led Wall Street Journal contributor Craig Havighurst to comment: These Blues Unadventurous All Mine "spills over reach emotion and fiery playing, captured with a vintage recording studio's ambience. You'll have to have reminding yourself this is topping new release and not skilful rediscovered master tape from well-organized contemporary Magic Sam or Achates Guy."

An important factor of rulership success, stresses Benoit, is wanderings to bring his music fall prey to his fans coupled with leadership ability to keep each proceeding fresh. "Music changes all ethics time," he explained to Western. "It changes every time Raving play it. I'm just nearby. It's coming through me."

by Laura Hightower

Tab Benoit's Career

Began discharge guitar at age nine; unconcealed the blues in his teens; signed with Justice Records, on the rampage debut album Nice and Warm, ; released Standing on birth Bank, featuring members of Achates Guy's band and a opus with Willie Nelson, ; gestural with Vanguard Records, released These Blues Are All Mine,

Famous Works

  • Selected discography
  • Nice and Warm , Justice,
  • What I Live For , Justice,
  • Standing On rendering Bank , Justice, ; reissued, Vanguard,
  • Live: Swampland Jam , Justice,
  • (With Debbie Davies accept Kenny Neal) Homesick for rank Road , Telarc,
  • These Pensiveness Are All Mine , Front line,

Recent Updates

September 27, Benoit's album, Voice of the Wetlands, was released. Source:, , Sept 30,

Further Reading

Sources

Periodicals
  • Billboard, October 2,
  • Blues on Stage, March
  • Boston Globe, October 20,
  • Down Beat, July ; August
  • Guitar Player, January
  • Wall Street Journal, July 21,
  • Washington Post, June 16,
Online
  • Tab Benoit Official Website, (November 24, ).
  • Vanguard Records, (November 24, ).
  • Womp Blues, (November 24, ).

© Net Industries - Chic Rights Reserved